Fluid supply apparatus for burners



Oct. 15, 1946.

W. H. DE LANCEY FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR BURNERS Original Filed Sept. 16, 1944 -5 Sheets-Sheet l ma Q Q INVENTORV .flEZAI/CEY q W146 ATTORNEYS Oct. 15 1946. I DE LANCEY 2,409,477

FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR BURNERS Original Filed Sept. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS H. DE LANCEY FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR BURNERS Original Filed Sept. 16. 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Cd; 15, 1946- w. H. DE LANCEY 2,409,477

FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FORv BURNERS Original Filed Sept. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A/P/PtW/ZJEZANCEV BY 9- 7 4! ATTORNEYS Oct. 15,1946. w. H. DE LANC EY FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR BURNERS Original Filed Sept. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Mmzw/Zflzlnwzr BY (2. q 7/144 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 15, 1946 FLUID SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR BURNERS Warren H. De Lancey, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application September 16, 1944, Serial Divided and thisapplication August 30, 1945, Serial No. 613,683

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for supplying fluids, such as air and oil, to an oil burner, such for example as an air-atomizing burner to which both primary and secondary air must be supplied as well as fuel.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 554,367, filed September 16, 1944.

The invention, while capable of other applications, is primarily designed to supply small-size burners, such for example as those used with hot water heaters, where oil is consumed at very low rates, say from one-twentieth to three-quarters of a gallon perhour. Oil at such low rates cannot be handled properly by the so-called pressure atomizer usually used in gun type burners and it is necessary to resort to the so-called air-atomizing nozzle. This invention provides the means for supplying the air for such nozzle at regulated pressure and also for supplying the oil at any selected rate; over a r'ange, such as that above set forth, with an arrangement whereby the oil pumping rate may be readily and conveniently varied while the oil pump is in operation.

The invention has for one object the provision of an oil-supplying means, together with a cutoff valve; an air pump of the positive displacementltype, having a by-pass and a valve controlling the same; and means actuated by pressure of the pumped air for opening the oil Valve when the pumped air reaches a predetermined pressure and subsequently opening the by-pass valve when said pressure is exceeded.

The invention has for another object the provision in a single unit of an air pump, an oil pump with means for varying its capacity, an airpressure-control valve, and an oil cut-ofi valve actuated'by the air-pressure-control valve.

The invention has for another object to provide an electrically driven apparatus of the class described, mounted in the casing of the driving plete apparatus for supplying air and oil to an oil burner;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 2-4, 3-.3 and 44, respectively, of Fish Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the oil pump shown in Fig. l but drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line E-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary end view taken from the right hand of Fig. 5;.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 88 and 9-4 respectively, of

l iig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line Hllfl of Fi 2;

Fig. 11 is a small scale elevational View, showing in more or less conventional form, the air and oil supply apparatus mounted on an oil burner;

Fig. 12 is a much enlarged sectional elevational view of the atomizing nozzle of the burner;-and

Fig. 13 is a much enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line I3--!3 of Fig. 12.

Referring to these drawings and first to Fig. 1 thereof, the apparatus includes a positively-acting displacement pump l for supplyingprimary air to the burner, a variable-capacity positivelyacting displacement pump 2 for supplying oil to the burner anda fan 3 for supplying secondary air to the burner. Both pumps l and 2 and the fan 3 are driven by an electric motor, of which the stator laminations are indicated at 4, the stator winding at 5, the rotor laminations at 6, the rotor spindle at "I, as fixed to laminations 6, and the rotor shaft at 8 as fixed to the spindle 'l. The motor has a cylindrical casing 9 to which are suitably fixed, as by the bolts In (Figs. 1 and 2), inner and outer end plates H and I2, respectively. The inner end plate I l is secured, as by cap screws I3, to the fan housing M of the oil burner. The end plate H rotatably supports in any suitable way the motor shaft 8 and on one end of the latter the fan 3 is fixed, as indicated.

The end member 12 serves to support both pumps I and ,2, the air filter, the air-pump bypass valve, the oil valve and all the necessary passages and conduits whichare associated with these elements. The member l2 has a sleeve bearing l5, located coaxially thereof and rotatably supporting the inner end l6 of the air pump driving shaft IT. The shaft end I6 extends through member l2 and has its inner end suitably coupled tothe motor shaft.

As indicated herein, the coupling is of the speed-responsive type, having a drum [8 fixed to shaft end It; and a pair of weight segments [9,

attains a predetermined speed, the segments i9 will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force to engage the inner periphery of drum l8 and drive the same and shaft ll. The speed-responsive coupling has been indicated merely in conventional form herein. It may be of any suitable and Well known form. One suitable form is shown in my Patent No. 2,364,132, granted December 5, 1944.

The air pump is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A deep cylindrical recess is formed in the outer face of end member I! to receive a sleeve 22 which forms the liner for the pump chamber and Which is cylindrical but located eccentrically of the pump shaft IT. The outer end of the pump chamber is closed by a member 23 secured to member !2 by a plurality of cap screws 24. This member 23 has a sleeve bearing 25 for the outer end 26 of shaft H. The pump rotor 21 is cylindrical with a circular series of angularly-spaced and longitudinally disposed slots 28 in its periphery to receive one in each, blades 29, which are radially slidable in the slots and the outer edges of which engage the inner peripheral wall of member 22. The ends of the blades and the ends of the rotor engage the end walls of the pump chamber. The end faces of the rotor 2"! have cylindrical recesses 21, one in each, to receive rings 38. The ends of each blade 29 rest on the outer peripheral surfaces of these rings and are thereby held with the outer edge of each in contact with the inner peripheral surface of member 22. Inlet and outlet ports 3i and 32, respectively, are formed as arcuate grooves in the inner end wall of the pump chamber formed by member l2, Air enters the spaces between pairs of successive blades from port 3| and is carried in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 and discharged into the port 32. This particular pump construction is one which is old and well known in the art. Further description of it is therefore deemed unnecessary. The particular form of pump illustrated is not essential to the invention and is given merely by way-of illustrative example of one of many types of displacement pumps suitable for the purpose.

Air is admitted to port 31 by means of a passage 33 in end member l2. This passage connects with one end of a cylindrical recess 35 formed in the inner face of member 42. Closely fitted into this chamber is a suitable filter, herein shown as a; felt 35 mounted between two wire screens This filter is held in place by' a snap ring 3?, engaged in a groove in the peripheral wall of recess 34, or in any other suitable way. Air reaches the filter from the air inlet 38 of the fan housing hole 44, adapted to be connected to the air inlet of the air-atomizing nozzle of the oil burner.

Slidably mounted in cylinder 42 is a pist yieldingly held in the illustrated and extreme inner position by means of a spring at. This spring has a seat-in the center of a cross bar 47! which diametrically spans the .outer end of cylinder t2 and issecured at its ends, as by screws 8, to member E2. The spring 65, acting bet-ween bar 41 and piston liholds the piston in the ex" treme'inner position shown leaving a space with 4. which both of the passages M and 42 are constantly in communication.

The piston 45 is movable to the left (as viewed in Fig. 1) when the air pump has built up sufiicient pressure to properly atomize the oil. This piston operates an air by-pass valve and an oil inlet valve as will later be described in detail.

The end member l2 has a circular flange 49, grooved to receive a packing ring of rubber or the like. A cup-shaped, pressed-metal cover 5! has its inner end partially telescoping flange 59 and its inner periphery engaged by ring 59 to close liquid-tight the joint between the cover and member E2. The cover is fastened in a manner later to be described. This member and the cover have flanges 52 and 53, respectively, to support a filter screen M, which encompasses the oil pump 2. The end member 12 (Fig. 8) has a tapped hole 55 adapted for pipe connection to an oil supply tank. This tapped hole is connected by a passage 56 to the annular space 51 between the cover 5| and screen '54. Within the screen lies the oil pump surrounded by an oil chamber 58.

The oil pump has a valve-controlled inlet passage best shown in Fig. l. A radial passage 59 leads from the lower part of chamber 58 radially upward into the inner end of a cylindrical recess 35. formed in the oil-pump-housing member 23, above described. Threaded into and closing the outer end of this recess is a hollow bushing Bl, having a central oil inlet opening 62. The latter communicates with one end of a radial groove 63 formed in the inner face of an end plate 64, which is secured with member 23 to member 12 by the cap screws 2 above described. The other end of groove 63 communicates with a slanting passage 65 in member 23 leading to the pump inlet port'66.

A needle valve '61 controls the oil passage 62. A spring 58, coiled around the stem of this valve, acts between bushing 6! and a snap ring 69, mounted in a groove in the stem, tending to open the valve. The latter is initially held closed against the force of spring 68 by the described piston 45. Formed in the inner end face of housing member 23 is a tapped hole 10. Set into this hole is a bellows H, the flange of which is clamped to the base of hole 10 by an annular nut 12. The stem of valve 61 extends into the interior of bellows H and engages the closed end wall of the same. Leakage of oil around the stem of valve 61 is prevented by the bellows. Formed in the member [2 coaxially of valve 61 and communicating with chamber IE1 is a passage ts and a slightly smaller passage M. The described piston 45 has a stem portion 15 which is of large diameter and hollow to receive the piston spring 46 and a smaller portion I6 which bears on the end wall of bellows H and holds the oil valve closed. As soon as the air pump has built up sufficient pressure, the piston 45 will be moved by the pressure of the pumped air, moving stern 15-46 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1

and allowing oil valve 61 to open. When the piston has been moved to the left as far as possible, the end of stem portion 16 will have drawn away from the end of bellows l Movement of the oil valve and the bellows is limited by the abutment of snap ring 69 with the inner end of chamber in. The piston 45 can move a greater distance (until it abuts cross bar 4'!) as will be clear from Fig. 1.

The by pass for the air pump consists of the passage '34 at all times in communication With the cylinder 42 and thus with the pressure side eccentrically or coaxially of the rotor.

of the air pump; a diametricalhole 11 in the portion 10 of the stem of piston 45; an axial hole 18 in the portion Hi the passage 13; the chamber 70 and a groove I9 in the inner end face of member 23, which groove opens into the chamber of the air pump. The stem portion 16 acts as a valve to control thisb-y-pass, its end face when engaged with the bellows,jclosing hole 18. A suitable seal 00, pressed into the hole 13 and seated against the shoulder formed at the intersection of holes I3 and", slidably receives stem portion 16 and prevents communication between holes 1.3 and 14 except by way of holes 11 and 18.

It will .be clear that when the pump has built up suflicient air pressure, the by-pass will open and enable excess air to merely circulate idly through the pump. The air pump has a capacity in excess of its requirements. That is, the one pump must have a capacity large enough to ;supply burners of widely varying sizes and thus a by-pass is necessary to take care of air not needed for the burner.

The oil pump includes a cup-shaped rotor 8|, the end wall of which is fixed to the portion 26 of the pump drive shaft. This rotor is mounted in and coaxially of a cylindrical chamber formed in housing member 23 and closed by end plate 64. A hole extends diametrically through the annular wall of the rotor, forming two cylinders 82. A single rod 83 extends diametrically of the rotor and is slidably engaged as a piston in each cylinder 82. Fixed to the rod 83 at a location centrally between its ends isa cylindrical member 34 which lies within the open, cup-like end of the rotor and may, by adjustment, be positioned In the outer end face of the member 84 is adiametrical slot 85 which slidably receives a square block 86. Engaged in this block is a round pin 81 which is fixed eccentrically of and on the inner end. of a stem 88. In Fig. 6, 89 indicates the axis of rotation of stem 98. Byturning the stem counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7 by means of the handle 90 provided on the stem, the axis of pin 81 may be moved from its position of maximum eccentricity shown in Fig. 6 until its axis 9! coincides with the axis 92 of the pump 'rctor 9!. Thus, the capacity of the pump may be varied from a maximum to zero by increments as small as desired. A stop pin 93 (Fig. 7) limits the movement of handle 90 by abutment with shoulders 94 on the handle to the limits described. As the rotor 8| rotates counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 6, theouter end of one of the cylinders 82 (the upper one) will communicate with the pump inlet port 66. This is an arcuate groove which is formed inmember 23 iii-encompassing relation with the pump rotor I As the rotor turns the upper cylinder 82 draws out from its piston, creating a partial vacuum to draw in oil and fill the cylinder. Meanwhile, the other cylinder which had previously been filled, is brought into communication with the outlet port 95, which is formed similarly to port 66 but on the opposite side of the rotor. As the rotor turns, the lower cylinder moves in on its piston to force out the oil into the outlet port 95.

The outlet port 95 is connected by a radial passage 96 (Fig. 9) to one end of a passage 91 which extends longitudinally through member 23 and a substantial distance into end plate I2 where it connects with a radial passage 98, leading to a tapped hole 99 in plate I2. This hole 99 is adapted to receive the oil pipe leading to the nozzle of the oil burner.

. The described adjusting stem 88 of the oil pump is rotatably mounted in a centrally disposed hub I00 on. the end plate 64 of the oil pump 2. The outer end of this hub is threaded to receive a flanged annular nut IOI which serves to hold the described cover it in place. The cover has an interior hollow hub I02 which encompasses the hub I00 and which is drawn tightly against the outer end face of end plate 64 by nut IOI to avoid leakage from chamber 58. The inner portion of hub I00 has an annular groove to receive a packing ring I03 of rubber or the like to still further prevent leakage from the chamber. The hub I00 has an internal groove to receive a smaller packing ring I04 of rubber or the like which tightly engages stem 89 to prevent leakage of oil along thestem. This stem 88 is held against axial displacement by the handle engaging the outer end face of hub I09 and by a snap ring I05, mounted in a groove in stem 80, engaging the inner end face of the hub. The described stop pin 93 is fixed in the outer end of hub I00. I

The nut IOI in its inner end has a circumferential groove in which is fixed a snap ring I06. The purpose of this ring is to enablethe cover 5!, which sticks tightly in place because of the packing rings 50 and I03, to be positively pulled off when nut ml is unscrewed, the snap ring abutting the shoulder I01 on the cover for this purpose. This avoids the necessityfor the use of prying tools, such as screw drivers or chisels, and the possible damage incident to their use. I

In the use of theinvention in connection with an oil burner of the air -atomizing type,-the fan 3 supplies air from its housing I4 into one end of a-tube I08 (Fig. 11), in the outlet of which is arranged a body I09, carrying the nozzle H0. The air and oil discharge ports 44 and 99 of the supply unit are respectively connected by pipes III and H2 to passageslldand II4 (Fig. 12 ;in the body I09. Fastened'to the forward end of the body I09 as by a cap IIEi, screwed on to the body, is a nozzle body I I6, having a frusto-conical outer end and a member II'I, having a complementary shaped part to engage said end and having the nozzle orifice H0. The nozzle body H6 has a central oil discharge passage I I8 communicating directly with passage H4. Formed be tween the abutting end of the bodies I08 and H6 is an annular passage H9, receiving air from passage I I3 and discharging it through two longitudinal passages I20 in body H0. The passages Hi5 connect one with each of two slots I2I (Fig. 13), the inner ends of which open tangentially into a whirl chamber I22, formed between the mating frusto-co-nical parts H6 and Ill (Fig. 12) and surrounding the frusto-conical end of the oil nozzle. Air entering through slots I2! is whirled around in chamber I22 and issues from nozzle I20in a whirling stream, surrounding the oil stream.

In operationon a call'for heat from the burner, the electric motor is started in any suitableway, usually automatically in response to a thermostat. The fan 3 is driven with the motor and is first brought well up towards its maximum speed before the speed-responsive coupling operates to connect the pump and motor shafts IT and B and drive the oil and air pumps 2 and I, respectively. This allows time for the scavenging of the air tube I08, the combustion chamber to which it delivers, and the several passes and flues of the heating apparatus. Secondary air, at a sufllcient rate to secure good combustion, :is available at the --burne.1- nozzle before the pumps I and 2 are started. Even then actuation of the oil pump "2 is inelfective until the air-pump I has first built up the necessary pressure to insure a supply of primary air at the necessary rate to the atomizing inozzle. Then, the .oil valve 5? opens to allow flow ofioil to the nozzle. On stopping of the burner, the electric motor is deenergized and, after its speed diminishes to a certain point, the speed- :responsive coupling disconnects pumps I and 2, whereby the .oil 'fiowwill be quickly cut ofi" by the "drop in "pressure of the primary air. The flow of .oil'tozthe tburner nozzle is thus stopped ahead of the 'flowzof primary air to avoid poor combustion. 'The fan 3 continues in operation after both pumps 1 .and 2 have stopped in order to scavenge the burner.

lt'will he noted that thesize of the air passages in the atomizing nozzle will determine the rate of air flow when the predetermined pressure of :air has been established by the pump I. Then, and only then will now of oil to the burner be permitted. The oil rate is conveniently regulable, even while the pump is in operation, by means .0.1 "the ,mem-berSG. The latter is located outside "the casing 51 which encloses 'all the rest of the apparatus and may be turned by as small increments as may be desired to 'Vary the capacity of 'theoil pump from zero to the selected maximum.

The ginventionprovides a compact arrangement of parts enabling both pumps together with the necessary valves, a screen, a filter, controls and conduits to be provided on the end plate of the driving motor within a casing, forming an oil supply chamber. The arrangement'of the chambers 34 and 42, either or both, in one side of the end plate or body member l2 and the air-pump chamber in the other side of the member is thought to be important. The filter and air pressure chambers 34 and 42 are arranged on opposite sides of the bearing I5 and in closely adjacent relation therewith. These chambers 34 and 42 have end walls which each overlap in part the airpump chamber and the passages 33 and 4| are provided through the overlapping portions of the adjacent end walls of the chambers. The filter and pressure chambers lie between the same two transverse planes. One of these planes coincides with a plane in which one end of bearing I5 is located and the other of which lies between the two planes in which the ends of bearing l5 are located. The inlet and outlet passages 3| and H of the air pump may thus be made very short and straight. The by-pass for the air pump is also made as short as possible by extending it along, and closely adjacent, the periphery of the air pump I from the pressure chamber 42 to the more remote end wall of the air pump. Also, both the air by-pa-ss valve 78 and oil cut-off valve 67 are located in coaxial relation with the movable wall or piston 45 of the pressure control device. Radially, all parts are kept within reasonably small limits in view of the provision of two pumps 8 and two control valves and the rate-varyingmeans for the oil pump.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for supplying air and oil to a :burner, comprising, a positively-acting displacement pump for supplying air, inlet and discharge conduits for said pump including in the discharge conduit, a chamber, a wall in said chamber movable by pressure of the pumped air, a pump for supplying oil, a cut-oil? valve preventing flow of oil to the oil pump, a by-pass from the pressure to the suction side .of the air pump, a valve controlling said by-pass, and means actuated by said movable Wall for opening said cut-01f valve when a predetermined air pressure has been built up in said chamber and for subsequently opening the by-pass valve when the pressure in said chamber exceeds said predetermined pressure.

'2. Apparatus for supplying air and oil to a burner, comprising, a positively cting displacement pump for supplying air, inlet and discharge conduits for said pump including in the discharge :conduit, a chamber, a Wall in said chamber movable by pressure of the pumped air,

a variable-capacity positively-acting displace- .ment pump forsupplying oil, inlet and discharge conduits for the oil pump, a cut-01f valve associated with one of the oil conduits, a by-pass from .the pressure to the suction side of the air pump, a valve controlling said by-pass, and means actuated by said movable wall for opening said cut-off valve when a predetermined air pressure has been built up in said chamber and for subsequently opening the by-pass valve when the pressure in said chamber exceeds said predetermined pressure.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a body member having in one end a cylindrical airpump chamber and in the other end a coaxial bearing, said body member including a part for closing said chamber and having therein a cylindrical oil-pump chamber, a pump rotor in each said chamber, a shaft mounted in said bearing and driving both rotors, said member having between the second end and the air-pump chamber a cylindrical pressure chamber having an end wall in parallel partially-overlapping and in closely adjacent relation with the adjacent wall of the air-pump chamber, a movable wall in the pressure chamber, said member having a conduit interconnecting the overlapping portions of said adjacent end walls, an outlet from the pressure chamber and a by-pass extending from the pressure chamber along and closely adjacent the peripheral wall-of :the air-pump chamber and entering the latter through its other end wall, an oil conduit connected with the oil-pump chamber, a valve in the oil conduit, and a valve in said by-pass, 'both said valves located coaxi ally of said pressure chamber and connected to said movable wall to be actuated thereby.

WARREN H. DE LANCEY. 

